The Obsessive Viewer

Release Date: August 2nd, 2013 (limited)

Director: James Ponsoldt

Writers: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber, Tim Tharp (novel)

Stars: Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Kyle Chandler

If you’re a fan of indie, coming of age movies, then this week’s Trailer Tuesday should be right up your alley. From the writers of (500) Days of Summer comes The Spectacular Now. Starring Miles Teller (21 & Over, Rabbit Hole) and Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) as two teenagers with different outlooks on life.

I love (500) Days of Summer. I loved the quirky indie feel and that the nonlinear storytelling complimented the strong chemistry of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel very well. Besides the single season sitcom Friends With Benefits, the writing team behind (500) Days hasn’t done much. The Spectacular Now looks to mark a return to the spotlight for them, though.

The trailer looks good. There’s just enough “genre familiar” content in it to let you know what you’re getting into without thinking it is just going to be derivative. Some of the lines seem awkwardly cut together for the trailer, though. Some lines come across bland. I hope it’s just indicative of editing around for the trailer and not the overall quality of the movie.

This looks like a movie that, like (500) Days, will have its success be contingent on the two leads. Shailene Woodley was very impressive in The Descendants. So, if the script is there, I have no doubt she’ll deliver. Miles Teller proved he has the acting chops with his role in 2010’s Rabbit Hole. The last two things I’ve seen him in were 21 & Over and Project X, though. I hope this will mark a transition back to more dramatic roles.

It’s also worth mentioning that Kyle Chandler is featured prominently in the trailer. It’s never a bad thing to pepper a trailer with some Coach Taylor.

The Spectacular Now will have a limited theatrical release in the US on August 2^nd. I hope it plays near me. I don’t know if Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley will top Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel, but I’m definitely eager to see them give it their best.

I have a couple of parting thoughts. One is that Miles Teller looks a little Shia LaBeouf and I hope the same won’t be said about his career. The second thing is that Woodley and Teller will be co-starring in the movie adaptation of the popular book series Divergent. I know nothing about it or the characters, but hopefully their chemistry is strong.

Buy (500) Days of Summer on Amazon here.

Buy The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp on Amazon here.

What do you think of The Spectacular Now? Leave a comment and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @ObsessiveViewer, like the blog on Facebook and check out The Obsessive Viewer Podcast.

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